Kibaki among top performers in Kenya: Report

Written By:PPS

State House attention has been drawn to the results of the Infotrak opinion polls published in Friday's mainstream media.

The opinion poll results which rated the performance of MPs in Parliament alleged that President Kibaki only managed two per cent overall approval rating.

As Kenyans are fully aware, the President, though a Member of Parliament, does not sit in Parliament on a daily basis as other MPs do.

The President only attends Parliament on special occasions and mainly during the State opening of Parliament in which he lays down the legislative agenda of the House in the ensuing Session.

In the circumstances, there is clearly no basis of rating the President's performance in Parliament as compared to other MPs.

We, therefore, urge Kenyans to view the result of the polls with the utmost contempt they deserve since the poll has no basis or objectivity and lacks in methodological merit.

During the State opening of Parliament, the President has routinely outlined the legislative agenda of Parliament to the fullest expectations of Parliamentarians and Kenyans in general.

This has often been attested by the content of his address and the observations of MPs during the week long debate on the President's address that follows the opening of Parliament.

On the strength of this, therefore, the performance of the President should certainly be rated better than the Infotrak poll suggests.

Moreover, as Kenyans are aware, the performance of the President speaks for itself as evidenced by the progress the country has made under his watch in all areas of national endeavour.

The progress we have recorded in infrastructure development, education, health, agriculture and other sectors clearly indicates that President Kibaki is among the top performers in the country.

Indeed, a recent poll by Synovate carried out in October this year rated the President highest performer with 81 per cent approval rating up from 46 per cent. The question that comes to mind is how the President can rank highest in October and barely two months down the line drop to the lowest?

Besides providing information, opinion polls, the world over, are known to be used as propaganda tools meant to influence the perception of members of the public in furtherance of the interest of a particular agenda or individual.

It is regrettable to note that the results of opinion polls in Kenya on certain issues - especially politics - have become ridiculously predictable. This raises the crucial question whether pollsters are pursuing the truth or serving a premeditated agenda.

As a society that is politically knowledgeable, Kenyans are able to question these results and their continued predictability is increasingly eroding the credibility of opinion polls in the country.

In view of the false impressions that these polls can generate among members of the public, we urge pollsters to exercise caution and carry out surveys with integrity, professionalism and a genuine commitment to provide the truth regarding the subject of the opinion polls.